KATHLEEN, Ga. — The day so many teams have been waiting for arrived. June 8th was the first day the GHSA allowed conditioning-only workouts and the Veterans Warhawks are just one school in Central Georgia that are getting back to team workouts.
After more than two months in hiatus, it's time to get back to business for sports teams around the state.
"Last night it was like Christmas Eve I know for us coaches. We love our kids there's no question about it," said Milan Turner, head football coach for the Warhawks.
There were no balls, helmets or equipment but it felt like a football practice all the same.
"It's not ideal, we'd love to hit the ground full speed and do all the things we normally do but we understand that's its just different times right now," Turner said.
The GHSA's rules are fairly straightforward. Conditioning only workouts are allowed with consistent groups of 20 or less including coaches. Strength and conditioning coaches can run all workouts but are still included in that number.
There cannot be a group from one sport in the weight room while another is on the field so teams will be forced to bring their athletes on campus in waves.
In the weight room, athletes have to try to socially distance as much as possible. The full list of rules is here.
After a group is finished, everything has to be sanitized.
"There's spray bottles in the weight room and it's contact spray. In other words, you don't to wipe anything down. You spray it and it dries within a few minutes and it's gonna kill anything germs virus bacteria on contact," Turner said.
Veterans is also requiring a twenty minute window between groups to allow for proper sanitation.
After the weight room athletes hit the field. Stipulations or not, players like senior Bryce Lewis were just happy to be around their teammates.
"It feels good you know? I haven't seen them in a long time. I was curious to see how they look. We've all been working out over the quarantine," Lewis said.
Athletes have had to work out alone with only guidelines from coaches delivered via zoom or text. Lewis says it's not the same and the team has work to do to make up for lost time.
"Really mindset. You can have zero talent, but if you've got a great mindset and you come here everyday to work, you'll be fine," Lewis said.
The GHSA has recognized that many athletes have deconditioned over the course of several months. They are asking coaches to keep that in mind as they try to get their athletes back into game shape.
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